Roundabout



Patented Jan. 5, 1932 f FRANCIS D. SWADER, F NEAR CROMWELL, OKLAHOMA ROUNDABOUT l Application led July 29,

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in amusement devices, and more particularly, to a novel roundabout apparatus.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a novel roundabout wherein the same may be actuated by the passengers carried thereby.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a roundabout which because of its simple construction can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

These and numerous other important objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent to the reader after considering the invention as described and claimed hereinafter,

In the drawings: Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the novel apparatus. p

Figure 2 represents a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents a fragmentary side elevation of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts, it will be seen that the invention includes a pedestal 5 having bolts (S anchored at their heads within a suitable foundation 7 projecting upwardly through openings therein with nuts 8 serving to prevent displacement of the pedestal from the said bolts.

rlhe upper end of the pedestal is constructed to provide a hub 9 into which the lower tapered end of a post 10 is secured by a. key 11. rPhe lower end of the post is also reduced and threaded to receive a nut 12 whereby the post may be firmly maintained in a perpendicular position with respect to the foundation 7 and against rotation.

Circumscribing thepost 10 is a sleeve 13, which is counter-bored at its lower end to receive a bushing la on the lower reduced portion of the post 10, while interposed between the lower end of the sleeve` 13 and the hub 9 of the pedestal 5 is a ball bearing structure 15. A lubricant containing `cup 16 is also supported by the -upper end of the pedestal 5 for constantly maintaining the 132e. serial No. 381,883.'

. 10.A A table-like structure 19 is provided at the yupper end of the sleeve 13 and this is provided with an upstanding circumteren-v 60 tially extending flange 20 at its periphery. The upperend of the post lOlprojects upwardly within the confines of the iiange 20 and has abevelled gear 21 suitably keyed thereto.

A housing 22 is provided for the gear 21 while disposed journally through the housing `22 at equal circumferentially spaced intervals are the stub shafts 23,v each of which is provided'with a bevelled gear 24 at one 70 endy for mesh with the gear 21. The opposite end-of each stub shaft 23 is journalled through an opening in the flange 20.

' Aie is clearly shown in thev drawings, an annularl passenger supporting platformV 25 75 is provided with avertioal wall 26 at its inner edge. This vertical wall isprovided with a ledge or `shoulder 27 which aitords an arm rest for the passengers.

At suitable points, rigid straps 28 follow 8o the contour of the platform 25 and vertical wall'26f and projects inwardly toward the gear,- 21 at its upper end,'as denoted by numeral 29. Brace bars 30 are connected at their inner ends to the table le@ structure 19, while their outer ends are secured to the inwardly disposed upper ends of the straps 2S. i Additional brace bars 31 have theirupper ends securedto the end portions 29 of the straps 28,' while their lower ends are secured between the flanges 17- 17 by means ot' bolts 32.

A third set of brace bars 33 have their outer ends ysecured to the bottom side of the platform 25, while their inner ends are secured to the lowermost flange 17 byvmeans 95 of the aforementioned bolts 32.

A ring 34 is mounted upon the brace bars 30 at their outer ends and suitably secured thereto. Mounted upon the ring 341 are bearings 35, and disposed through openings in los the bearings 35 at "equal circumferentially spaced intervals are the shafts 36, each provided with a crank handle 37 at its outer end and being' connected at its inner end by means of aliexible coupling 38 to a corresponding stub shaft 28.

Mounted upon the platform 25 at suitable spaced intervals and adjacent each crank handle 37 is a seat 39 on which the passenger j sits.

' It will thus be seen thattlie passenger in rotating the shaft 36 will cause the gear 24 to travel on the gear 21, thus imparting motion to the platform 25. v

Obviously, in the manufacture of this novel roundabout apparatus, various changes in the specic shape, size and materials' may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

An amusement device comprising a station- Y ary post, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said post and having upper and lower sets of flanges, a stepped annular platform concentrically disposed with respect to said post, a plurality of rigid reinforcing straps secured to said platform on the underside thereof and iny relatively spaced points, said straps conforming to the contour of thestepped platform and having their respective upper ends disposed inwardly to provide brackets, a plurality of brace bars connected to said upper flange and theupper portion of said reinforcing st-rap, a plurality of spaced brace bars connected to said lower flange at the lower portion of said platform, a diagonally extending brace bar connected to the lower flange and the upper portion of the platform, a ring extending horizontally of said brace bars and secured thereto adjacent the upper edges of the said stepped platform, said ring being disposed in overlapping relation with respect tothe bracket portions o-f the reinforcing strap and being provided at certain circumferentially spaced points with vertically disposed bearings,.a plurality of crank shafts extending radially of the said post and respectively supported adjacent their outer ends in a bearing of the said ring, operating handles on the outerend of said crank shaft, seats disposed on a step of said platform adjacent the cra-nk shaft, and a gearing connecting theinner end of the crank shaft with the said post. i j n In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANCIS D. swADER. y 

